#without whimsy there isn't even any darkness

[abtl]

I am genuinely serious when I say this. You all really have to get more whimsical. Hold back the horrors with the whimsy. You must.

you all have got to get more whimsical

[mari-lair]

Shit I might want to read this, it looks cute. What is this?

I am assuming you're talking about the manga with a cute art style, the one with this trio, which I love dearly

If so, I am very sorry Anon, my blog is misleading propaganda. None of these three are the protagonists, or even sidekicks to the protagonist, they are either stuck as a gag character for half of the manga, pushed to the side, given an antagonistic role/a role that have a diferent belief from the mcs, or all of the above simultaneously.

This is not their story.

They do eventually get focus, there is a reason I have grown attached to their arcs more than the protagonist's stories, but I am aware most people do not vibe with them. Many actually hate these three. They aren't the heart of this story. If you read this manga, rest assured it won't be for them.

So let me try to give you a more accurate idea of what the story is about without any major spoilers/details.

The manga is called "Toilet Bond Hanako-kun" which is a strange mainstream translation considering "suicide boy Hanako-kun" is the more accurate one. Very different vibes between those two translations, right? That's how the manga feels too, it is a mix of strange and goofy and 'oh, shit got dark'.

The story takes place in a fantasy world where supernaturals and ghosts exist and the trio in the spotlight are these three goofballs!

The red eyed girl is our main protagonist, Yashiro Nene, she is in love with the idea of love, a true hopeless romantic!

She attracts trouble and have a wild imagination, easily getting stuck inside her own fantasies as a form to both find strength and avoid tragedies. She is an insecure but very kind soul with a lot of hope in her heart, but she is not that smart. While she does have her moments, if you dig strategy stories and logical characters this story isn't for you, it's more about whimsy and vibes.

The boy with the cap is the main lead and our titular boy "Hanako." He is a ghost, more specifically a supernatural, which are ghost whose soul got corrupted for staying in our world instead of moving on once they died. He is also the main love interest. A mischievous morally grey spirit with no self-love, no hope, and a lovely mix of being apathetic and caring too much. He is dangerous, selfish, awkward, and possessive and he hates it.

The blond one is Minamoto Kou, an exorcist who never exorcised anything, he is a kind and insecure guy, not very smart logic-wise but his emotional intelligence is surprisingly good (bad habits aside). He is selfless to the point of concern, and starts out determined to be Hanako's eternal enemy but they become besties by accident. He is desperate to help, very determined, very impulsive, very easy to trust. Horrible at being an exorcist.

The friendship between these three is very sweet. You feel like it will be a generic love triangle on their intro but no, they all care about each other. Romance may be a big thing in this manga but this trio are besties.

The humor can be hit or miss, sometimes it's so silly or dry that I love it, but sometimes it's passes my bar and becomes overly exaggerated. Some of the gags just don't land (at least to me), and if you think about the story too much, is not hard to find inconsistencies, but the main sell of this manga is character comflict, which is usually real good, and the supernaturals elements/stories which are the main events of the manga. All the supernatural stories are amazing.

I don't want to spoil the powers and rumors and tragedies but here are some 'vibes' of the supernatural elements.

It is a rollercoaster of cool ideas and vibes and creative ways to explore the wishes and fears of the characters.

A lot changes through the story, this trio won't be the main dynamic forever but it is the heart at the start, and the supernatural stuff is strong during the entire manga! So if the pros sound better than the cons, go check it out!

You can read it: here

[downtroddendeity]

@turnkeyassurance saw your tags and figured I'd take the opportunity to pause my descent into madness to give my more sober opinions on the Ni no Kuni franchise, lol. (Warning: I am a humongous JRPG nerd)

The NNK games are really odd ducks, quality-wise. You can call either one a good game or a bad game and call either one better than the other, and any combination of those opinions can be something I think is entirely justified. Both of them have things they do remarkably well and also serious, profound, deal-breaking flaws, and the really weird thing is that there's almost no overlap between those two lists for the two games. What clicks and doesn't about both of them is going to be deeply individual.

What Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch does, with resounding success, is Vibes. It sets out at every single step with the goal of being a playable Ghibli movie, and it sticks to that principle. It's all about beautiful, cel-shaded whimsy. It's a game for people who want to feel like they're wandering through the meadows in the movie version of Howl's Moving Castle. There are lots of puns, and you can befriend all the random encounter monsters and feed them ice cream.

But that's also its Achilles' heel: because it's dedicated entirely to imitation, it has trouble bringing things to the table that are really its own. It has the visual and narrative aesthetics of Hayao Miyazaki's films, but it doesn't have the raw emotion at the heart of them. And as a game, its mechanics combine the clunkiest features of menu-based combat and action RPGs, and while everything about the Pokemon-esque mechanics seems designed to encourage players to collect and experiment with them, the balancing turns attempting to do that into a miserable grindy nightmare.

The other problem is that it... isn't actually the first Ni no Kuni game. Wrath of the White Witch is, in fact, a remake of the Nintendo DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, which was never released outside Japan. The reason for this is pretty easy to explain, because DDD had another gimmick besides its aesthetics: it came with a real-life physical copy of the wizard spellbook, and the player had to look things up in it and draw sigils on the DS touchscreen to cast spells. So, we've got a high-effort remake that had to completely cut the central mechanic... and which also expanded the plot so that the original main villain was no longer the primary antagonist. This results in a game with what is very clearly a final dungeon and very clearly a final boss and very clearly a resolution to the story, which suddenly has a completely different plot dropped on it like a fucking anvil that it expects you to be just as invested in even though it hasn't had anything like the same level of buildup.

And ironically, this is almost the exact opposite of the biggest problem with Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, a.k.a. the one with my new blorbo, the President of the United Union of Eagleland. 2 is an effort to try to cement an identity for the series that can be its own, rather than requiring them to depend indefinitely on borrowed Miyazaki nostalgia. It just has the teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy problem that at some point in development it had a budget shortfall so bad that you can finish the game without ever realizing that there is a continent-sized crashed interdimensional spaceship on the world map.

This game has had a machete taken to it. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely respect the work they did to make what they could with what they had, but you can see the signs of massive scope cuts to literally every aspect of the game. The back half of the game has almost exclusively recycled enemy and environment assets; voice acting has been trimmed down to canned voice clips; the catboy protagonist's ears and tail are barely animated; one minigame was so inadequately playtested that a level 16 mission is massively harder than level 50 ones; and while whatever restructuring they had to do to the main plot still left the final version with a more solid and coherent central arc than WWW in my opinion, it also left a lot of truly gaping plot holes, like oh, I don't know, why the President of the United States got turned into a 19-year-old.

Literally, they just. Entirely forgot to explain that. Half the DLC is just the writers scrambling to fix stuff like that and add a bunch of character development that should have been in the base game.

However, despite all this, I personally enjoyed NNK2 more than NNK1 unironically, not just for Rolandposting reasons. Compared to the first one, it plays much more smoothly as a straight action RPG, and while it can't provide the same knock-your-socks-off aesthetic cohesion, to me it seemed a lot more heartfelt- that is, like a game that was made because people had a story they wanted to tell.

But, well, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the non-unironic reasons, because the story they really, genuinely wanted to tell was about a magical catboy growing up and learning to become a leader, and somehow, miraculously, they really thought that was the story I was here for too when they opened the game with the President of the United States being isekaied by Nuke-kun.

Sorry, guys, I have a crippling addiction to dramatic irony and my day job is tech work in local politics, you could not have more laser-targeted this at making me specifically laugh my ass off if you tried.

[kay-lalala]

NOOO what the FUCK is Olympus? It's DEAD. There aren't any people? They cut Percy's entire walk through? The wood nymphs in the olive trees, the markets, the nine muses, the satyrs and naiads, the minor gods.

Also Olympus looks so dystopian? Where is the glittering white and silver? Why is the throne room so dark? And so tiny? Where are the columns holding up the ceiling with moving constellations? Where is the enourmous fire in the central hearth? WHERE IS THE WHIMSY AND THE MAGIC???

Why is Zeus normal sized. Why are the thrones lame? Where is Zeus' platinum throne, why isn't the air crackling with ozone?

WHERE IS THE FISHERMAN'S CHAIR THRONE? WHERE IS POSEIDON??? THAT SCENE WAS SO IMPORTANT?

Ah he shows up and Zeus attacks Percy because Percy YELLED AT ZEUS

Why isn't Percy trying to credit Annabeth and Grover broooooo

'With a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus was gone' eh

WHERE IS THE TRIDENT

Man these pearls really don't return to the sea at all huh

They cut so much of the Poseidon/Percy talk

No burial shrouds :(

No Dionysus welcome home speech?

No epic Hephaestus fireworks?

PERCY. FIGURES. OUT. LUKE. STOLE. THE. BOLT. IM. PISSING. MYSELF.

FUCK YOU MEAN 'RECRUIT'

Dude we didn't even get the backbiter explanation ALSO WHY CAN IT OPEN PORTALS?

WHY IS ANNABETH THERE WHY ARE THEY FIGHTING WHERE IS THE SCORPION WHAT THE FUCKKCKCKCKCK

and he runs away come on

WHERE WAS THE FUCKING SHIT SCORPION

We had the opportunity to see more camp life and they just didn't do it

Did Percy just get the bead. Without. Explanation. Come. The. Fuck. On.

Where is Dionysus' funny letter maaaaan the name discussion feels so forced

I feel nothing at the hug :)

Percy why are you not going to New York ah nevermind it was all a weird creepy dream to set up the next season

Why is Percy's room so pretty is that an apple screen??? Aren't thex poor? Doesn't Gabe use the room???

Blue food! But without the explanation!!

And Gabe turned to stone purely by accident instead of to get rid of him and Sally selling the statue to go to college.

[saintsenara]

What are your guilty pleasure tropes?

thank you for the ask @sarafina-sincerity!

forced proximity of any kind

i've answered specifically about one example of this - marriage law fics - here, but the main trope i'm a slut for is absolutely, one hundred percent, without a doubt anything which requires two people who don't want to have to spend time together having to spend time together. with sexy results.

enemies-to-lovers

let's all be honest, one's emotional investment in one's enemy is often more profound than in one's friend. let's also be honest, people become enemies because they have things in common. combine those similarities with the emotional investment? sexy results.

narrative mirror pairings

unsurprisingly, there's often quite a lot of overlap between this and the above. the harry potter series loves assigning its characters to narrative pairs whose roles in the story are the mirror images of each other, but whose personalities, dreams, desires, experiences, motivations etc. are often very similar. and the narrative mirror pairings which fall under this category are always exceptional: harry potter/tom riddle; draco malfoy/ron weasley (getting slept on because of drarry); sirius black/severus snape and so on... sexy results.

magical worldbuilding which feels magical

a lot of fan-fiction falls into one (or both) of two categories: it deals with considerably darker or drier topics (especially when it comes to thinking about how the wizarding state actually works and/or how it changes after voldemort's death) than the canon series; and it serves as a vehicle for the author to talk about aspects of muggle culture they enjoy (this is particularly the case in marauders fics and it drives me mad - none of those children have heard a single piece of cool music in their lives).

but the canon series feels so magical because the worldbuilding is incredibly whimsical, even in the darker later books. something is lost, i think, when wizarding clothing isn't ostentatious and colourful, or wizarding hobbies aren't exaggerated pastiches of muggle hobbies, or wizarding houses are devoid of eccentric kitchen appliances which talk back to you, or all wizards are immediately familiar with the muggle world. i can't express how much i respect it when authors invent their own radio plays or wizarding bands or children's toys.

and that whimsy can exist with a look at deep topics - indeed, it does frequently in one of my favourite literary genres: golden age detective fiction. in fact, i think it makes the dark themes and how they're being interrogated stand out all the clearer. which brings me to my next point...

allowing the characters to be funny

by this i don't mean crack fics - although crack treated seriously is definitely a trope i adore - but finding space for the fact that almost all of the main characters in the series - all the way along a spectrum from the main trio, to ginny, to sirius, to dumbledore, to snape, to voldemort (he's so camp! lean into it!) - are extremely funny, even when in serious situations or discussing serious things.

unfortunately, it is all too common to find - especially in things dealing with the immediate aftermath of either war - that everyone is in their widow's weeds and speaking like they've swallowed a psychology textbook. but actually, harry and ron aren't going to be sitting down for a deep and meaningful using all sorts of 'i feel' statements. they're going to be chatting shit.

[there's a bit of unsolicited advice here, which can, like all unsolicited advice, of course be ignored: this sort of therapy-speak, every-emotion-is-articulated conversational style is something which immediately gives away an author as american (generally, the sort of emotional openness which, in the usa, indicates authenticity will be read as the opposite in the uk - being very earnest is typically perceived as rude, expressing your emotional reaction to everything as fake). if you're looking for a way to make your writing sound more british, the best thing you can do is read ron, and see - as @whinlatter says in this post about him - that his sense of humour isn't evidence of immaturity or an unwillingness to confront tough topics, but evidence that he's the most emotionally mature of the trio. by quite some distance.]

ron and dumbledore being allowed to be real people

i loathe ron and dumbledore bashing. let my kings live.

and let ron be madly in love with hermione. his final form is wife guy.

redemption

i am a villain enjoyer, and i think there's nothing wrong with liking characters who remain unambiguously, unrepentantly evil.

what i like rather less is the idea that villains don't have traits, emotions, experiences, and motivations which aren't anything other than similar to the good guys.

and what i like least of all is the idea that there are some people who are so divergent from the good guys that they are unworthy of one of the most sincerely magical human abilities: the ability to redeem oneself.

yes, even draco malfoy, even snape, even voldemort. unless all of us are capable of redemption then none of us are. this is an important lesson to learn.

how these people redeem themselves, how redemption is complex and painful, how they atone, how they cope with the unmooring experience of forgiveness, how they take to their second chances, and how they stumble on the way are the topics of some of the best fics i have ever read, and i will never get free of the chokehold.

[likeabxrdinflight]

I feel like a lot of people didn't really give The Owl House its due credit until season two brought in a lot of really plot-heavy, story driven elements and I really think that's a shame.

Not that serialized storytelling with a set plot is a bad thing. it's absolutely not. but the plot of The Owl House was really basic fantasy fare. For as much as the show acted like it was deconstructing those fantasy tropes, it really kinda...wasn't. Girl gets stuck in magic fantasy world and has to defeat the big bad emperor (who is a pretty basic villain tbh y'all have just been overexposed to redeemable villains lately) with the help of her quirky group of friends and hey wouldn't you know it, the primary morality play of the story has something to do with love, what a. what a shock. I have never seen a fantasy story do any of this before.

I'm just saying, the story structure itself really isn't that deep. it's a kids fantasy show and that's okay. that is not why The Owl House was good, and that is not why it stood out.

what made The Owl House unique were two main things, I think. One was the setting- the story may not have been a massive deconstruction of fantasy tropes, but the Boiling Isles as a setting absolutely was. Most magical fantasy worlds, especially those made for children, tend to be ethereal, colorful places with an air of whimsy and fun. Think places like Wonderland, Neverland, parts of the Harry Potter universe (I bring that up because TOH made jabs at it, fuck jkr). Even more seriously toned stories tend to have some of these elements- Lord of the Rings is a good example of a fantasy that can get quite dark but still has some classic fantasy world whimsy to it- the Shire is still a beloved setting for a reason.

The Owl House, however, played around with this idea a lot by making the Boiling Isles much more of a horror setting. And that was what was fun about it- they took a classic fantasy plot and laid it on top of this horrifying, hellish world. The characters are literally living on the corpse of one of the main characters' undead father the entire time. Everything is dangerous- the magic school has a detention that tries to eat you, Luz is constantly getting scammed and tricked, the wise old mentor is a cranky middle aged woman who turns into a demon owl, hell, even half the food is completely inedible. This world is inherently dangerous to Luz in some ways, above and beyond Belos' influence.

The other thing that sets this show apart are the characters and their relationships to each others. Luz first thinks of Eda as a potential "wise old mentor" in the veins of Gandalf- she ends up finding a complicated woman with her own difficult past who becomes more of a mother to her than a teacher. The cute animal sidekick starts off as a megalomaniac and turns out to actually be the son of a god who just wants to play catch. The three leads are weird, outcasts of their worlds who find community and companionship in each other. Most of the side characters fall into this basic theme too- Lilith is a history nerd hiding behind her coven head persona, Raine is a secret rebel and a bard with stage fright, Amity doesn't fit in with her family's expectations, Willow was bullied for being "half-a-witch", Gus is obsessed with humans and younger than his peers, Hunter was an abused kid hiding a love for wild magic, even Camila was a secret nerd. That was always the heart of the show, that was what made it good and different from other fantasy stories.

And none of that would have been nearly as apparent without the groundwork season one laid. Yes, season one was more episodic. Yes the tone was much lighter compared to later seasons. Yes some of the adventures were a bit goofy. But they were the foundation the show was built one. They were the reason you cared about saving this world once the plot started kicking in. The show didn't "get good" in season two, it was already good. Season two is full of plot contrivances and conveniences that get the characters from point A to point B, and season three is even worse (though Disney shoulders a lot of blame for that).

But take an episode like Hollow Mind, for example. The lead up to how Luz and Hunter end up in Belos' mind is not well written. It's rushed, it comes out of nowhere, and frankly it's an extremely convenient plot device to get us to the big Belos-is-Phillip reveal. There is nothing clever in the actual plot of that episode.

And nobody cares. I don't care, because that episode is still really good. Why is it good? Because of the characters. Because we care about Luz. We care about Luz's impact on this setting, because we love Luz, we love the friends she's made, we love the way she cares about them. And we love the Boiling Isles- we love this weird, creepy demon realm, and so we care when Belos reveals that he's a witch hunter out to destroy it. We've come to care about Hunter too, after seeing him bond with Willow and Gus at Hexside, so we care about him finding out the truth about Belos. So it didn't matter that the plot points were contrived and convenient- the character writing was so strong that it overrode all that.

But again, none of that would have hit as hard without the foundation that season one laid. This show was special because of season one, not despite it. Season one is not the weak link, it is an essential part of the show's core DNA, because it is there that we fully explore this setting and really get to know and love our characters and their bonds with each other. Season one is the heart of this show, and without it, the whole thing would have fallen flat.

[dwellerinroots]

Just a short review - Rain World

So, although a lot of my posts have been - Elder-Scrolls adjacent, recently, most of the folks who know me know me for my love of weird fiction, speculative fiction, and the like. Also boomer shooters, but that's because... Quake, now there was a game, quake... I love games like @mortallymoonstruckgames Mushroom Musume; a particularly faerie-tale like game that has everything I enjoy in gaming. A dark sense of whimsy, a comforting world that nevertheless is filled with hidden mysteries and dangers, and a lot of mushrooms (culturally important to yours truly). (And if you enjoy TES and especially reading the books within, I really can't recommend it enough!) I love games like Schmidt Workshop's Star Explorers. A very weird throwback stellar dungeon crawler that feels like a long and open-world trip to stars without number... A bit like the old game Noctis, for any similar oddballs out there. Well, due to the awesome @pikkish who you should go check out if you're interested in doomlore, writing, or art... I just found another one. If you like xenofiction, you'll like this one, too. Review beneath the cut!

A lot of the weird indie games I play have this stunning sense of atmosphere. Amon... Uh, give me a minute, Amon Twentysix's Au Sable is a moody and dark adventure that feels like the kind of fever dream I end up chasing while I write. Rain World begins, instantly, in a world that is unknown to you or I. There are things that are familiar and things we can understand, but they are points of reference and lines and structures against what is not.

All the dead structures and windswept ruins and the tides and their ceaseless rise, abetted by the titular rain (rain world; it's right there in the title, natch!) make everything in the life of lil Slug Cat feel what it is - an awful, beautiful, struggle for survival. First I need to mention that this game is hard. Not hard like 'difficult,' I mean that there are a lot of moments where you are simply going to die because that's part of the ecosystem. You can get progressively better at avoiding, even exploiting some of these moments, but - yeah, you're going to die. Death is a constant part of life; it pervades the ecosystem of everything, and have I mentioned the ecosystem? For those that follow me, a lot of what I enjoy is what I'll call critter design, but is better thought of as xenobiology. In a strange system, one that's open or hostile or friendly or strange, where does life fall, how does it work, what do things do? It took me ages to even realise Rain World was a game about these things, far more then just surviving or exploring. Arguably, learning why beasties do what they do helps you the player survive, too. It is one of the COOLEST feelings in a game, although I want to stress again - for those who don't like uncompromising difficulty, I figure this'd be one you can watch a slow, non-vocalised Let's Play of and still enjoy immensely. (Possibly while still buying a copy; because...) The game is artistic to the extreme. Each biome feels like it's own little world, while still connecting to the greater world it's part of. This is hard to get right, on a local level (e.g; metroidvanias that take a look at a small slab of a world) or at the 'global' level, like in Rain World. And we don't travel the entire world; but it feels like we do. Weirdly enough, another game that I want to praise for nailing it is, of all things, a strange game called Dungeon Munchies. Normally I don't care for 'memes' or humour-first games, but it really isn't one of those.

In Rain World, your tools are very limited, your movements need to be cautious, and you have to always be watching. But that doesn't mean you can't communicate - threatening, avoiding, feeding, even wordless negotiation are things that happen and I know I haven't cracked all the interactions just yet! It's - absolutely incredible, and I feel like even including pictures wouldn't explain why it works so well. Also, for those who know me, I believe it hits what folks call 'aesthetic.' Just a slipgate away from home! Summing up my feelings would be a bit much; there are a lot of them. It is an astoundingly beautiful game, incredibly brutal and unforgiving (apparently less so then at launch, mind!) and one that really wants you to uncover it's secrets at it's pace. However, there are a lot of tools to help you do that, and the secrets themselves are beautiful and indescribably touching. You find yourself thinking about moments long after they've happened, or asking yourself "I wonder if" about areas, creatures, interactions... Most of all, though, it feels properly alien. A wonderful setting without humans - or perhaps, with things that were human as a distant memory. It matters not; time has passed, and all returns. For now, sit and rest awhile. Thank you for reading.

[kawaiioonline]

Latest Products in Kawaii Fashion

Kawaii fashion, a vibrant and whimsical style originating from Japan, continues to captivate audiences around the world. Characterized by its playful aesthetics, pastel colors, and adorable motifs, this fashion trend embraces all things cute and charming. As we delve into the latest products making waves in the kawaii fashion scene, we’ll explore key items that highlight the evolution of this beloved style.

1. Kawaii Streetwear

Streetwear has found a unique niche within kawaii fashion. Brands are now integrating oversized silhouettes with playful graphics and patterns.

Graphic Tees and Hoodies

Bold, colorful graphics featuring cute characters or popular anime motifs are all the rage. Many brands offer limited-edition releases, creating a sense of exclusivity. Look for tees with oversized fits paired with pastel-colored hoodies adorned with adorable prints like cats, bunnies, and magical girls.

Accessories

Kawaii streetwear isn't complete without statement accessories. Bucket hats and beanies with embroidered patches or pins add a fun touch. The latest trend includes crossbody bags in the shape of beloved cartoon characters, making them both functional and fashionable.

2. Lolita Fashion

Lolita fashion, with its Victorian-inspired dresses and accessories, continues to thrive in the kawaii realm.

Dresses

The latest collections showcase intricate lace detailing, puff sleeves, and enchanting prints. Brands are increasingly incorporating themes from nature, such as florals and celestial designs. Color palettes tend to favor soft pastels alongside bold darks for a striking contrast.

Footwear

Mary Jane shoes remain a staple in Lolita fashion, but recent trends are shifting towards platform shoes that elevate both style and comfort. Expect to see a variety of colors and embellishments that make each pair uniquely cute.

3. Kawaii Activewear

As fitness becomes a global trend, kawaii fashion has made its mark on activewear, turning workout gear into cute fashion statements.

Leggings and Sports Bras

Expect to see high-waisted leggings adorned with whimsical patterns—think clouds, stars, and cartoon characters. Matching sports bras often feature playful designs that ensure wearers can express their personality even during workouts.

Workout Accessories

Accessories like pastel-colored water bottles and fluffy gym bags are designed to bring joy to fitness routines. These items often feature fun quotes or graphics that resonate with the kawaii aesthetic.

4. Kawaii Swimwear

The summer season brings a wave of new kawaii swimwear designs that are sure to make a splash.

Bikinis and One-Pieces

From high-waisted bikinis adorned with fruit prints to one-pieces featuring cute sea creatures, the latest swimwear combines functionality with cuteness. Many designs incorporate ruffles and unique cutouts that enhance the kawaii appeal.

Beach Accessories

Kawaii fashion extends to beach accessories as well. Oversized sun hats with adorable ribbons, colorful beach towels featuring favorite characters, and fun flip-flops complete the look.

5. Kawaii Home Decor

Kawaii fashion isn't limited to clothing; it has also inspired a whole range of home decor products.

Bedding and Cushions

Cute bedding sets featuring characters from popular anime or pastel patterns can transform any bedroom into a kawaii haven. Cushions shaped like clouds or animals are popular for adding a playful touch.

Stationery and Lifestyle Items

Kawaii stationery, including notebooks, pens, and stickers, is designed to bring joy to everyday tasks. Many products feature vibrant colors and charming illustrations, making even mundane activities feel special.

Conclusion

The evolution of kawaii fashion continues to inspire creativity and self-expression around the globe. From playful streetwear to enchanting Lolita dresses, the latest products showcase the charm and whimsy that kawaii culture embodies. As the trend expands, brands like Kawaiioo are at the forefront, offering a delightful array of clothing and accessories that cater to all kawaii enthusiasts. Whether you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe or simply add a touch of cuteness to your life, Kawaiioo is sure to have something that resonates with your personal style. Embrace the kawaii spirit and let your fashion reflect the joy of being uniquely you!

[erabundus]

❝  crushed  beneath  the  weight  of  an  existence  without  end.  ❞  the  new  god  says,  tone  steeped  in  a  dark  whimsy  —  as  though  he  means  to  recite  some  fairy  tale  with  a  grisly  conclusion.  ❝  barred  from  death.  barred  from  madness.  knowing  no  matter  how  much  you  may  bend,  you  were  never  built  to  break.  even  when  the  gods  themselves  erode  to  useless  dust.  ❞  he  steps  into  the  room;  his  figure  moves  like  a  blot  of  ink  in  the  mirror  —  dark,  so  fluid  in  its  movements  as  to  be  unsettling.  though  he  wears  the  balladeer's  visage,  the  composition  of  belial's  body  is  different  now.  even  the  puppet's  faulty  human  veneer  is  a  STRUGGLE  to  maintain  with  the  same  level  of  believability.  were  he  to  compare  the  experience  to  something,  he  thinks  kunikuzushi  is  but  a  cocoon  that  his  true  form  could  rend  asunder  with  a  twitch  of  his  wings.  ❝  a  permanent  existence,  shackled  to  an  impermanent  world ...  with  no  hope  for  escape.  ❞

he  stops  behind  them.  looming,  eyes  aglow  with  the  power  of  the  twin  gnosis  fueling  his  core.   ❝  that  is  the  true  meaning  of  ETERNITY.  ❞  lips  curl  in  a  humorless  smile.   ❝  her  eternity ...  the  curse  she  forced  on  us  both.  ❞  it's  an  agony  he  has  shouldered  against  from  the  moment  he  could  understand  the  HORROR  inherent  in  his  own  existence.  it's  simply  strange  having  someone  else  to  share  it  with. perhaps they could endeavor to find a solution to that together ... yet he isn't about to pose such a question to them now.

❝  you  have  no  PURPOSE.  ❞   is  what  belial  says  instead  —  and  though  it  may  sound  cruel,  the  new  god  knows  it  to  be  true.  that  is  also  a  particular  struggle  he  finds  himself  intimately  familiar  with.   ❝  no  reason  for  being ...  but  due  to  the  power  etched  into  every  fiber  of  your  being,  you  also have  no  choice  but  to  continue  this  tedious  life. miserable and yearning for something you can't put a name to.  ❞   he  tilts  his  head  —  going  just  a  bit  too  far  for  comfort,  before  he  catches  himself  and  rights  his  neck  back  into  a  more  natural  position.  though  belial  doesn't  speak,  the  question  is  clear.  i'm  right,  aren't  i?  of  course  he  is.

❝  i'm  not  going  to  tell  you  what  to  do,  if  that's  what  you're  expecting.  clinging  to  another  person's  desires  won't  bring  you  any  satisfaction ... only deeper despair.  ❞ and resentment. that would be problematic for his own goals.

That word was foreign, known only as something that can never be fulfilled. The Shogun doesn't want anything, because the one thing either puppet or soul could ever want again was impossible to attain. Not even deity's could be brought back from death, it came for all, swallowed into the sea of eternity like everything else. Eternity was not an absence of death entirely, that much had been proven over and over again in their creator's life. There was no escape from it once it had taken over. Makoto was gone the day and years they had fought Ei. That was the only thing they could have ever wanted, knowing it would solve every illogic behavior of the goddess, and render themself unneeded. That was what want was, wasn't it? Something that would fulfill, like how being unneeded to Inazuma anymore would feel. They wanted Inazuma to not need them, perhaps? But that wasn't what it was, and they could no longer be there. They just couldn't.

"So you understand this... inane struggle." It was a wonder they could speak so calmly and well still, even as their mind cracked and crumbled under the weight of its existence. The fact they weren't mad was truly only because they couldn't be, it was physically impossible. However, it gave them no mercy to the pain and shame that ravages inside their head. "Pathetic, I am aware. Is this how you felt?" Their tone is genuine, even if miserable. Belial was the only one who could ever understand something like this, they had no other choice but to try to figure out what this new hellish existence will be like and what to expect.

"The only thing I have ever known is her want, and that I shared it. Even now, part of me does. Inazuma is almost all I have been able to think about." They had never mentioned their own thoughts, nothing of what had kept them so still and lost. It is nothing on what else besides it, yet it feels like an admission of defeat to this new world. An acceptance that things will not be changing. Yet they felt like there was no other choice anymore. Is that what helplessness was like?

[brightmaiden]

Ask game: 1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 25, 28

These were tricky...so of course, I loved answering them. :D Thank you!

1. name a movie that makes you feel like a kid again

We didn't watch a lot of movies when I was a kid: my dad was in grad school, so we didn't have enough money to own a VCR. On very special occasions, we'd rent a video player from U-Haul and cram a movie or two into the 24 hours before we had to return everything. As a result, there isn't really one movie that makes me feel like a kid. Instead, there's a type of movie that brings back all those movie-watching nights. Any film with the right combination of wonder and whimsy, adventure edged in darkness or danger, and (often cheesy) earnestness makes me feel like a kid---something like The Neverending Story, Willow, The Goonies, Batteries Not Included, or Krull.

2. name something that takes you back to your childhood/your idea of childhood

Limeade (from concentrate) and potato sticks. As a rare, but favorite, after-school and summer snack, just the idea of them pulls me back to sitting at the dining room table doing math homework or running inside for a brief break before dashing out again to conquer trees or imaginary kingdoms.

4. name your favourite flower

Greater periwinkle (Vinca major). I can never find the right photos online, but there is something about the starry shape of those blue-violet flowers against the glossy dark green of the leaves that I just love.

6. name a way you show your love

Creating spaces where people feel safe and seen. I don't think I'm good at doing this online, where it's so hard to tell what truly troubles someone, but in person, even with people I don't know well, I try to pay attention, to listen without judgment even as I'm engaging with the ideas and perspectives they're sharing with me. Forming that space doesn't happen all at once, but I've been told by several people that they share things with me that are usually very difficult for them to share with others. I deeply hope that makes them feel loved.

13. name the most recent time you’ve felt truly happy

My brother popped into town briefly for a wedding a few weeks back, so my whole family got together for dinner. That's always a delight, but we ended up talking about some plans we have to get land and start preparing it to be lived on by either the whole family or groups of friends and their families. As we were growing up, one of my dad's favorite questions to ask at the dinner table was, "If there were an apocalypse and society as you know it were destroyed, what, and who, would you need in order to rebuild?" This conversation at that dinner a few weeks ago felt like the fruition of all those long-ago dinner conversations. We pooled our separate expertises, made plans for the immediate future as well as what we hope to accomplish in several years, answered thoughtful questions...and dreamed of what we want to build. The discussion of ideas always makes me feel as if I'm flying, and spending time with my family always wraps me in warmth and connection and pride at who we've become, but the combination at this dinner---ideas, purpose, confidence, care---that's the most recent time I remember feeling complete happiness and even joy.

25. name a way your friends and followers can make you feel better on bad days

On bad days, I most want a hug or someone to make me dinner or even just a really good cocktail, all of which are difficult for both friends and followers to accomplish, since none of them live nearby. But it also helps to experience something beautiful or tender or true---something that takes me out of the day into something greater---and that's a lot easier to accomplish long-distance. Plus, the act of sharing a moment, a piece of art, a laugh is a little like saying, "I'm here with you. I'm sorry today is bad, but you're not alone in it."

28. name something that makes you feel like yourself

This feels a little self-evident, but any time I'm considering how I connect to the world, I feel like myself. When reading an essay and seeing patterns in its ideas. When taking a uquiz and deciding which song lyric means something to me. When pondering a moral dilemma. When walking in a park and experiencing how I, uniquely, fit under tree branches or which spaces are most inviting. I feel most myself when I meet the world and become vividly aware of my own edges and boundaries and private (limited) perspective.

[andrastesknickerweasel]

Check out the Master Post to see what this wacky project is all about and get the cookbook to join in the fun!

Let me set the scene for you: you’re in an inn in a small village in the Anderfels, a warm and cozy oasis amidst the blight stricken wasteland. A mistral strums on a lute and quiet conversations drift between tables. Suddenly the doors burst open and a cold blast of air whips around the room, snuffing candles and running a chill down your spine. In step a band of the Anderfels' famed Grey Wardens. They are covered in blood and viscera, some darkspawn, some their comrade’s, their eyes dark and haunted, yet ever vigilant. The one that seems to be their leader adjusts the greatsword across his back and makes his way toward the bar, the patron’s eyes following him with fear and awe.

The barkeep fumbles with the glass they’d been cleaning as the bearded warrior approached, the glass slipping and shattering in the sudden silence. The Grey Warden makes no note of it as he settles heavily upon the stool. “Drinks.” He grows ominously.

“Of- of course Herr Warden! We have a fine whiskey just in from Starkhaven, or perhaps an ale to start-”

“Nein.” The Warden pronounces sharply, eliciting a squeak from the flustered barkeep. He leans forward, a piece of what looks to be darkspawn entrails plopping onto the counter. “Frozen Steppes Cocktail.”

That’s right folks, the Grey Wardens aren’t here for that toxic masculinity nugshit, when they need a stiff drink, they get what amounts to a deconstructed chocolate martini! I made the very questionable decision to drink this on an empty stomach while cooking. Since this is basically just straight alcohol on ice until the ice cream melts a bit then it packs a surprising punch, especially if you’re a light weight like me.

Difficulty: 1/5 Easy, tooooo easy. Just 2 alcohols, ice and ice cream. I lined the rim with simple syrup and cocoa power in a fit of whimsy. I however did not add the sliced fruit because wtf, this is a cocktail not a fruit salad. I could only add a little ice cream without it sinking and overflowing the glass, but I���m mildly lactose intolerant so it’s probably for the best anyway.

Ingredient cost/accessibility: 4/5 Booze is always pricey, but the real challenge is the shaved ice. Unless you own the machine to shave your own or live near a shaved ice restaurant then I don’t know where you’d get it. As neither of those situations applied to me I got the smallest ice I could find, which was a cup of crushed ice at Sonic XD

Taste: 5/5 It’s a chocolate martini, what’s not to love?! I think it would have been better with Bailey’s or half and half rather than the ice cream, but that doesn’t mean this wasn’t good.

Suggested pairing: cake or cookies, definitely a dessert drink. It could serve as the dessert by itself really.

Suggested pairing: Sten/Cookies 🍪

So while getting thoroughly toasted I moved on the preparing the main coarse. Meatballs in Caper Sauce from the Anderfels.

Difficulty: 3/5 More involved than previous recipes, but not too crazy. A lot of boiling. I fought everything in me to not brown the meatballs and boil them instead, as browning first is the Antivan way. The spaetzle was not included in the recipe, but honestly, who eats just meatballs by themselves? And if I have an excuse to have spaetzle with something, I'm going to take it. Also it's store bought "farm style" spaetzle, because I'm way to lazy to make it from scratch.

Ingredient cost/accessibility: 2/5 A little more expensive than the cheaper meals I've been making, since meat is involved, but hamburger isn't fancy and any other weird ingredients (anchovies wtf?!) weren't hard to find where I live.

Taste: 4/5 Overall very good! I don't like capers, but I felt I should trust the process. When all was said and done... I still don't like capers. It's not a deal breaker though. I love Anderfels food so much I'm not even mad.

Suggested pairing: not the Frozen Steppes Cocktail XD Just ale would do nicely. Since I was already flying high I had a much needed water with my dinner.

Suggested pairing: Fenders, Handers, Kanders. Any pairing where Anders' partner can spoil him with food like his Mutter used to make <3

[theangrypokemaniac]

Ma and Pa James's Second Biggest Fan (we plough a lonely furrow) continues to find Ma Jess's appeal mystifying, since everything about her is negative:

1. Signing up for Team Rocket suggests someone of a morally dubious character to start with, but the truth lies in the clothing, and she's in black!

Black!

It's code for her personality:

• Jessie wears white:

Pure, beautiful, innocent, sweet-natured, not really bad, dealt a severe hand in life but a fighter.

• Cassidy wears black:

EVIL!!! EVIL, EVIL, EEEEEEVUL!!! FOUL SIRENIC TEMPTRESS!!! EVIL HEARTLESS BITCH STEALING JAMES'S NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN WEEPINBELL!!!

Speaking of which:

2. She was Madame Boss's best agent.

You don't get there being kind.

To reach that standing requires hundreds of successful heists, and we aren't talking nicking gold bars. It's living things.

How many Pokémon do you imagine she stole with merciless efficiency?

How many children did she set upon, pinching every animal they had?

How many innocent lives did she ruin by depriving kids of the pets they loved, never to see them again, eaten away with the not-knowing and the false hope?

The glory of her reign ran on the fuel of blood and tears.

What fate do you envision awaited those Pokémon? It's not exchanging one master for another, it's entering slavery.

Jessie and James aren't the epitome of Team Rocket. They are minnows on the outskirts, despised and mocked by most of their fellow members. The actual group isn't particularly famous for prioritizing Pokémon welfare.

The preferable outcome is being handed out to agents to help catch other victims. Otherwise it's transformation into a war machine, forced to fight on and on to the point of exhaustion and death, no doubt tortured and tested on to boot.

What happens if they don't come up to scratch or are pushed for years until too aged and broken to be of any use? Are Team Rocket ready to pension them off to animal sanctuary?

As if. It's euthanasia or on to the streets to waste away, if not fed to the strongest first.

Ma Jess knew this and worse occurred thanks to her, yet paid it no mind, and felt not a single twinge of guilt in that time of service, then met her end trying to draw another Pokémon into imprisonment.

Some might say it was a case of what goes around, comes around. As her behaviour led to God knows how many Pokémon dying alone, leaving their loved ones to wonder and grieve, so in turn did she die alone in the snow, and Jessie had to carry on without her.

I'm not against Ma Jess, I neither feel like or dislike, but I don't understand how so many fans can happily overlook her murky past of inflicting pain, instead elevating her to a semi-divine tragic heroine, yet apparently Ma and Pa's heinous offences of not stealing and treating Pokémon well are beyond forgiveness.

3. It's the Red Ribbon Army! Save yourselves!

Jessie joined Team Rocket to follow in Ma's footsteps. James went with her. Both moved (upwardly in scale, downwardly in morals) from Sunny Town's gang of petty thief kids to a complex Mafia organisation stretching its wriggling tentacles around the world to crush the air from its lungs.

Why? Ma Jess's baleful influence led the two down that path.

Of course Jessie wants to copy Ma, how and where else can she feel close to her?

There's not even a grave to visit!

Rising in the ranks and Giovanni's favour is both to strike it rich and take her place, becoming Ma in essence. That would make her proud, which is all Jessie ever wanted.

What alternative is there? Stay with Chopper and Tyra forever, ekeing an existence pickpocketing and shoplifting, until mortality comes calling sooner than is welcome, or get loaded quickly and retire early?

James theoretically could've gone home at this point, but when it came to which angry redhead he preferred to beat him up, he chose Jessie.

He was henceforth obliged to go whenever she led, even if it meant following the ghost of her mother into the jaws of evil.

They have an excuse, but what was Ma's for getting involved?

However much they boast and revel in their wickedness, the motto proves the couple still believe themselves on a noble quest, despite everything to the contrary, and why?

Jessie isn't about to accept that Ma Jess, whom she's probably idolized as one of few people to love her and a role model of how a woman should be, was nasty or unpleasant. If she was in Team Rocket, it must be good, whatever the outer appearance.

Except Jessie and James are bad at being bad. They are not master criminals. All their plans fail, rendering them poor and starving in consequence. The inner circle of Team Rocket will always be barred to them because they lack the inner darkness it requires.

The joke is they flourish in any other occupation, whether that be Salon Rocquet, reporters, or flogging merchandise and food at the League. If employed elsewhere they'd be better off, but they have to stay because Jessie can't let go, or bear the thought she might be a disappointment to her mother's name. A different career looks unworthy by comparison.

What, so Ma and Pa have got no son because of Ma Jess? They just wanted him to be a gentleman!

If she hadn't set such a terrible example to her daughter she might have an increased quality of life, but then had she done so Ma wouldn't be dead in the first place.

4. Can't pick 'em can she?

What was it that first attracted Ma to Windy Miller? Does she go for the rustic charm, or the promise of a lifetime's supply of bread to feed the abundance of babies planned?

Don't do it, Ma! He's an alky!

Some birds are like that you see. It's the maternal instinct gone haywire. They find a local reprobate and somehow decide he's really a damaged soul crying out for love, the scapegoat of a cruel society.

He's not evil, he's just misunderstood!

This is why you get nutters wanting to marry the Yorkshire Ripper: they put his 'mischief' down to bad women mistreating his gentle heart, but they of course are devoted to his happiness. They can change him.

You don't know him like I do!

In their fantasy, under the influence of a 'proper' woman he'll transform in to a flower-picking hippie, but not too much, they still like him to be dangerously 'manly' (keeps 'em on their toes), then they can feel smugly superior and more truly female than the 'lesser' breed who failed to tame his sexy pashuns.

And if there's one thing Windy has in abundance, it's raw animal magnetism.

Stop it, Ma! You can't help those who don't want helping!

She put up with the boozing, the flour dust and his somewhat limited communication skills, but what really let him down was the company he kept.

Ever after she would insist Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub led him astray. That's firemen for yer.

Cuthbert? That name's died out.

Sure enough, some point after Ma Jess was stuffed up the spout, old Windy legged it back to Camberwick Green, like the rascal he is, and not a sweet penny piece did she receive in maintenance, the bastard.

At least Ma James got pregnant by a man who stood by her.

She wasn't married to Windy Miller!

Oh, you mean they were living over the brush? I see.

It's all in your head!

Do it my way, and we have Pa Jess. Do it yours, and we're back to a cavernous emptiness. Unless you can supply a picture of the 'real' (pffft) Pa Jess, this is the best available.

Anyway, 'Jessie Miller' just sounds right.

Coincidence? I think not.

5. She went to look for Mew dressed like this.

I could forgive it had she gone in her normal uniform, that's just whimsy, but to have made some effort emphasises that it's not enough!

Some part of her understood a mountain might be a bit parky out, but this was deemed sufficient coverage!

What happened?

She bloody died didn't she?!

6. Ma Boss points the way to doom.

Ma Jess was at least loyal to the mistress she served, but it was a wasted dedication. She squandered her life obeying a heartless virago who could cast aside apparently valued staff without a qualm, whatever thanks she owed them.

The millions Ma Jess accumulated for Madame are probably uncountable, yet she was so worthless that, when dispatched to the mountain, on her own, expected to catch a Legendary Pokémon, by herself, which many doubted even existed, and wasn't likely to come quietly, or put up with orders, but then didn't come back, Madame Boss allowed her only child to sink into poverty and the infamous 'care' of the State.

Everyone knows what goes on there. Entering a home has replaced the workhouse as the place of dread.

Jessie might have been killed or attacked and it didn't remotely concern Madame Boss, unwilling to spare a meagre fraction of her massive fortune to give the girl she made an orphan any comfort or security.

What did she matter? Her mother failed. Why reward that?

In her turn, Jessie became just as obsequious to an undeserving master, who went further than his mama and actively tried to murder her, and still she suffers to please him.

Team Rocket devoured her mother, and now it's swallowed her.

Oh, and Madame Boss got her way upon discovering Mew's fossil, so Ma Jess died for nothing.

7. This.

I'm not surprised Mew wouldn't go with Ma. She probably sensed the vivisection awaiting, and didn't give a toss about the avalanche in revenge.

Mew hasn't got where she is today falling for any old shallow promises from a stranger, thank you.

Suppose the mission had worked, with Mew caught and gift wrapped for Madame's delectation: what then?

Perhaps Mew's power, proving so impressive, would've pushed any cloning scheme aside, leaving Mewtwo unborn and Mew as the mightiest weapon. Or in greed Madame Boss demands more, and in arrogance the scientists promise the earth, the seas and the heavens.

Mew I could see subjected to some non-lethal form of dissection, just to understand how she ticked, that is if they could build the cage to hold her.

As they couldn't, and catching Mew was never a possibility, then Ma Jess's sacrificed herself on a fool's errand, which was obviously one from the outset. If Mew was easy to handle she'd have been captured long before now.

Either Ma dies, Mew's safe, but Madame Boss starts the cloning scheme anyway, or Ma's victorious, Mew is a tool of Team Rocket and the scientists have more sample to experiment upon. Mewtwo is still made, alongside short-lived creations and dozens of unseen freakish abominations preceding.

Now Mewtwo isn't what you call at peace with himself, nor has he received a particularly wholesome experience. One could think Ma indirectly caused that. Her branch of the project may have fizzled to cinders but she still played her role.

What would her legacy have been but to help bring forth the being that wiped out mankind? Where's the future for Jessie when there isn't one?

It's not her fault, but she died in the name of cloning a biological disaster, the creation of synthetic life leading to the destruction of it all.

8. Let's have a gander at Ma in the anime:

• Can afford rent.

• Can afford a tray.

• Can afford crockery.

• Can afford condiments to add flavour to food.

• Can't afford any actual food.

Something's wrong there.

I intended to include affording clothes too, but now I'm not so sure.

I never took Ma to be a brown-all-over kind of woman. At least she gave the fancy stuff to Jessie.

For years I've assumed she wore a brightly coloured jacket, but now I suspect it's a red one heavily patched up, because buying a replacement isn't an option.

Really old clothes are being mended with whatever can be salvaged from even more worn-out clobber.

Best agent Madame Boss has and she's practically living in her own filth.

Team Rocket takes care of its own, eh?

Oh no, let's not get a proper job, one that allows me to provide for my daughter and doesn't ask for my life. Let's stay in this one!

9. Look at Jessie's face!

By her own admission, being tricked into eating snow is the best thing that ever happened to her during an 'otherwise wretched childhood', to the extent she doesn't know it was wrong!

I don't hear Ma and Pa doing that. The only ice James got was an ice-cream sandwich.

What kind of infancy did Ma Jess give the girl for her to be nostalgic about almost dying of malnutrition?

If we say that's a foster mother as in the sub, it means Jessie's fondest memory is after Ma died, which is too brutal for me.

Yeah, thank goodness she's snuffed it.

You think Ma might have taught her not to eat snow! She left her so ill-prepared!

Consequently the sub version makes Ma Jess an awful creature, although I don't see why that Jessie would so desire to mimic a mom she apparently doesn't care about.

10. She's not even bloody here!

I have no picture to signify absence, therefore I must show whom she left behind.

Ma Jess is Pokémon's answer to Bobba Fett: background figure, barely involved, no information, dies early, yet became a fan favourite nevertheless.

If nothing really exists, what is there to like? Why are you contented weaving smoke?

When Rocketshippers put forward the manga as proof, the Anti-Ships used to insist that it 'didn't count' for being set in a 'separate universe'.

If that still goes, and only the contents of the anime apply to the anime, well then it's bye-bye to Ma Jess and Madame Boss, because they aren't real either.

I sometimes think that's true. However traumatic, would Jessie not have acknowledged her mother by now otherwise?

We grasp the characters all had two parents in a nebulous fashion, although not being real people means they don't 'technically' need them, but Ma Jess is the only one who vanished to be granted a face. Why is she then ignored?

She's briefly glimpsed in a passing scene of a single episode of the first series and is never seen or referenced again. The sub doesn't even have that. Where was the use in creating her if only to leave that thread of the tale billowing in the breeze?

We may decide her actions affect Jessie's but we're only imprinting assumptions. She might as well have remained unwritten for all that's made of her.

What we can glean doesn't bode well, irrespective of things left unmentioned.

Her one redeeming deed was dying, thus at least she didn't choose to abandon Jessie. We may presume she'd have stayed with her girl given the chance.

By my reckoning that puts her as Fifth-Best Mother Of Pokémon, behind Ma Brock, Ma James, Dame Ketchum and Ma Boss, in that order.

Then they're those who claim she never died, so she just pissed off like everyone else, rendering her devoid of a single positive quality.

This is the woman you sigh and agonise over for decades.

Ma and Pa are right there, man! Show 'em some love!